The male urethra is generally a tubular passageway extending from the bladder to the end of the penis. As urine travels from the bladder and out of the body, the urine passes through four sections of the urethra referred to as the prostatic urethra, the membranous urethra, the bulbar or bulbous urethra, and the pendulous or distal urethra. Surrounding the prostatic urethra and below the bladder is a prostate gland. In some men, especially men over fifty years of age, the prostate can become swollen or enlarged due to disease or infection. The enlarged prostate can constrict the urethra causing discomfort and/or bladder outlet obstruction.
Medical devices, such as urethral stents, are typically used to facilitate fluid flow from a bladder and through a urethra. Urethral stents are designed to hold open one or more of the sections of the urethra obstructing the flow of urine, such as constricted portions caused by a swollen or enlarged prostate. The size or outer perimeter of a stent that is needed to maintain the urethra in an open state can sometimes result in difficulty removing the stent from the patient's body.